The present invention generally relates to apparatus and methods for distributing product on a conveyer, particularly to apparatus and methods for distributing product evenly across the width of a conveyer, and more particularly to apparatus and methods for distributing coated cereal pieces evenly across the width of a conveyer.
In the manufacture of cereal, the cereal pieces are often coated with a topical sweetener solution and then the "slurry" coated cereal pieces must be dried to remove the added moisture associated with the topical sweetener solution. In practice, the coated cereal pieces are deposited by a rotating enrober onto a conveyer which then advances the cereal pieces into a dryer. It can then be appreciated that the coated cereal pieces are deposited on the conveyer as a continuous pile, making it necessary to distribute the coated cereal pieces from the pile across the width of the conveyer prior to entry into the dryer. Minor variations in processing conditions can result in the pile being deposited at various positions across the width of the conveyer. While generally useful, existing cereal distribution apparatus induce certain problems which result in reduced product quality to the consumer.
Particularly, there are generally two types of distribution apparatus in practice, a bias blade plow and a shallow angle, non-pivoting, V-shaped plow. The bias blade plow was a single steel sheet or blade angled across the width of the conveyer to the dryer at an angle on the order of 30.degree. to a perpendicular line across the width of the conveyer or in other words on the order of 120.degree. to the longitudinal axis of the conveyer. The blade is attached to steel tubing, and jacks are attached to the tubing to raise/lower the blade via a manual hand wheel. The product is dropped on one side of the conveyer and is spread generally over the entire width of the conveyer by traveling downstream along the blade. Unfortunately, the bias blade plow spreads the cereal pieces unevenly in both width and thickness. As a result of entering the dryer unevenly distributed on the conveyer, several types of problems are experienced. Problems in the finished product include especially poor product texture resulting from non-uniform drying. Moreover, throughput of the dryer is undesirably reduced as is drying efficiency.
The V-shaped plow includes first and second legs arranged at a fixed, shallow angle on the order of 132.degree.. The V-shaped plow is attached to an arm, and jacks are attached to the arm to raise/lower the V-shaped plow via a manual hand wheel. The product is dropped generally in the center of the conveyer and is spread generally over the entire width of the conveyer by traveling downstream along the first and second legs of the V-shaped plow. To compensate for centerline differences between the conveyer and the product pile coming off the rotating enrober, a manually adjustable blade referred to as a rudder was pivotally mounted at the interconnection of the first and second legs and projecting therefrom longitudinally to the conveyer. The rudder is pivoted such that its free end is located generally at the centerline of the product pile to direct product laterally across the dryer width. However, while useful, the rudder is difficult to adjust to obtain even spreading. Moreover, once even spreading is attained maintenance is difficult due in turn to variances in the product pile centerline resulting from small processing variances such as the particular product being distributed and the throughput rate of the product. Further, the rudder also generated pockets located in front of and behind the rudder and in which product was trapped, thus causing product clumping or agglomerates. Such agglomerates would eventually be released from the pockets and travel on the conveyer to the dryer and could possibly reach the packaging area and ultimately the consumer resulting in complaints due to quality.
Further, as the result of the difficulties in distributing the product on the conveyer and the problems resulting therefrom including the non-uniform drying of the cereal, the capacity of the cereal production line was capped or bottlenecked by the ability to spread the cereal on the conveyer. Reductions in dryer efficiency can also result.
Accordingly, in the production of cereal, it is imperative that the coated cereal pieces be evenly distributed across the width of the conveyer as well as with even product bed depth on the conveyer.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide novel apparatus and methods for evenly distributing product across the width of the conveyer.
Another object of the invention is to provide novel apparatus and methods wherein even product distribution can be easily maintained even with variation of the product type and/or throughput rate. In this regard, an aim of the invention is to allow ease of adjustment preferably by remote electric control.
Yet another object of the invention is to eliminate the creation of pockets which can cause product clumping or agglomerates.